MSU Red Cedar Message Board

Got my Tigers season tickets in the mail this morning, so I am itching for the baseball. I didn't watch anything last night, but I am enjoying this Italy/Canada game right now.

Ha, when Jason Grilli is your closer, you got problems.

And he's not available for this game.

They explained it earlier in the game. Apparently there are about 7 different ways, but the most common is either having one of your parents be born in that country, or having documented proof that at least one grandparent is from that country. It's pretty ridiculous, and apparently Spain only has 1 player on the roster that was actually born in Spain

As in all in all international sports, the lines are blurred in terms of nationality. You are eligible to play for any country that you have citizenship. You are also eligible to play for a country if you have that ancestry even if you aren't a citizen. For example, Sergio Romo was born in the USA and is a US citizen, but he has parentage in Mexico and is eligible for them.

After that, you just pick the country you want to play for based on your ability to play for them and their willingness to call you. I'm pretty sure if team USA asked Nick Punto to wear the stars and stripes, he would be in the red, white, and blue. Joey Votto could play for Team Canada or team Italy, but he chose Canada.

This Italian lineup is roughing up the Canadian staff. I wonder what the US will do when they face Canada on Sunday. This result basically means that Italy is in great shape to qualify from this group. If the US takes care of business, they'll win the group with Italy 2nd.

What channel are the games on?

MLB network. I think you can also watch games online if you

Italy just mercied Canada. In baseball. I don't think the fact that Russel Martin backed out could have saved them ...

Spain and PR starting now. USA v. Mexico tonight!

If Mexico doesn't win, heads will roll.

Dickey is being slapped around, he better stiffen up.

Would be great if this took place in January so we could get the best Americans involved. Trout, Verlander, etc...

didn't even realize this was going on until I caught some highlights on sportscenter this AM.

RA Dickey was the best they could do to start game 1? Yikes.

Derek Holland is starting the game against Canada.

If your life depended on a baseball game, how far down on the list of starting pitchers would he be?

10?
15?
20?

Was at the Canada-Italy game yesterday. Due to weather it was moved from a spring training site in Scottsdale to downtown Phoenix. Didn't ever have a good baseball feel to the game, but the fans that were there were really into it. Due to last minute change, the ballpark did not have enough employees to properly work the game.

They have a rule about a pitcher cannot exceed a 65 pitch count and they had announcements of "Pitcher X is within 20 pitches of reaching the limit of 65."

Tried going to the USA-Mexico game but it was far too much of a zoo around the ballpark. Even when the Dodgers or Cubs are in town is it rare to see so many people out at local bars and restaurants for a baseball game. (My observation was most were for Mexico.) The scalpers were being just stupid with what they thought people would pay to get in.

Event might do better if all the games were in one location (like the olympics) instead of separate areas around the world.